Catholic Church in Embu County has stated that it supports the newly enacted Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act, 2024, signed by President William Ruto on October 15, 2025.
Church leaders said the Act would promote the moral use of social media in the country. This signals a shift in conservation governance, with more devolved management of major parks.
Speaking during a Thanksgiving Mass in Embu, Embu Catholic Bishop Peter Kimani said that it would also play a role in curbing the spread of harmful and insensitive content online.
Kimani applauded the government for regulating the digital space, noting that social media had been misused to erode moral values.
He urged Kenyans, particularly the youth, to use social media in a responsible manner with kindness.
Kimani explained that freedom of expression has been used to spread false information and harm others, stating that there should be sensitivity with online conduct.
According to a church leader, regulatory authority is necessary and should not be used to infringe on legitimate freedom of expression or to silence constructive, honest debate.
His comments follow days of mixed reactions to the implemented Act, with some politicians and Kenyans against it, and others in support.
On October 23, President Ruto, during the burial of Inspector General Douglas Kanja's father, said that the piece of legislation was amended for the benefit of all Kenyans.
Ruto clarified that the Computer Misuse and Cybercrime Act was first implemented in 2018 and that it only underwent slight readjustments.
He noted that the Act was crucial in stopping several online challenges affecting the Kenyan youth, particularly on matters revolving around cyberbullying, hate speech and access to explicit content.
"Those who run such businesses of bullying other Kenyans, you now find that a lot of youths are committing suicide because of terrorism that is on the online platforms," Ruto stated.
"There are people who are out to cause tension by all means. This law has been in existence since 2018, and the amendments began in 2024 and it was done by the Members of the National Assembly," he added.
